Go’shii
The Go’shii were a race of quadridexterous felinoids who inhabited the northern sector of the galaxy. They were the first race to achieve spaceflight and have been sentient longer than any other race in the Gauss Dominion, however this fact is not widely known and shrouded in conjecture and myth, due to the events of The Great Humbling. The Go’shii homeworld of Manatari was tidally locked to its parent E-type mundane star, with the dayside covered in Savannah and dry jungles and the night side covered in endless tundras, glaciers and the occasional geothermal spring. Biology Fur Coat The Go’shii had a thick fur coat that covered their entire body. The fur was incredibly fine and soft to the touch, and it allowed them to traverse abnormally hot or cold climates with ease. In hot climates this is because the fur can actually act to trap cool air next to the body. This fur could be white,gray,black,gold,brown,orange,dull blue,beige, with stripes, spots or intricate markings. (They could look like leopards, panthers, tigers, lions, or any pattern possible on a common house cat, as well as some others.) Tebeku The Tebeku or “head tail” were a trio of three tail like growths that grew off of the Go’shii head, with two coming over either shoulder and one larger one going down the back. On females they had the appearance of long hair in three locks and on males they were more thickly covered in coarse fur that gave all males the appearance of having a mane. These were in fact sensory organs that allowed the Go’shii to orient themselves when falling or performing acrobatics, and the organs were quite light and mostly hollow. Onirus The Onirus were a pair of unused lobes in the brain; two peanut sized and shaped light blue organs growing from the tempus lobes. Many believe they are a now redundant organ that formerly was tied to the ancient Go’shii and their powerful psionic abilities. Nobody is sure what role the organ plays now as it still draws a considerable amount of blood and energy from the rest of the body. Removing this organ will have no ill effects on a Go’shii and greatly extend their lifespan. Tempus Lobes The Tempus lobes were two additional brain lobes seated behind the ears connected to the primary brain at a point in the third eye’s optic nerve. These brains acted as an unconscious second mind which would naturally calculate and attempt to predict the outcome of a given situation. This Gave the Go’shii their foresight ability; this ability was non-magical and something they presumably developed. Though the exacting degree the Go’shii were able to predict future events was (except in very rare and bizarre cases) highly limited since it was restricted to only events that would be logical to occur and missing information or bizzare events that had little/no chance of happening could through off their foresight. It was enough however for Go’shii to be distrusted or banned in gambling establishments. Some Go’shii possessed no ability with foresight and little activity in the tempus lobes while others could control their foresight on command with a respectable degree of precision, able to predict where a dice would land from seeing it dropped or which face a coin would land the moment it was tossed. Foresight could be short or long term (Generally Go’shii were only gifted with one or the other.) In where short term foresight could predict immediate events; the current game or battle or things that might happen within the hour. Long term foresight could predict events years, decades or even centuries down the line. By cutting out the third eye, A Go’shii could kill the nerve connecting the tempus lobes to the remainder of their brain preventing them from having visions of the future. Third Eye The Go’shii had a third eye in the middle of the forehead. This allowed them to have better depth perception perceiving the world in full three dimensions to a degree. As their brains were structured for three dimensional depth perception they were able to perceive, imagine and study higher-dimensional shapes with less difficulty than other races of the galaxy. This made them more proficient navigators of Direct Drives than other species and could sometimes fly without the use of AI. Pointed Ears The pointed ears set on top of their heads gave them improved hearing in comparison to humans. The tiny poms of fur that stuck out on the ends and the ears as a whole could also be used for non-verbal communication, and were there to allow easy communication at a distance. (Up=glad) (Droopy=sad) (Backwards=mad) The ears would unconsciously twitch if the Go’shii was either hungry or aroused. Other more complex “codes” of ear twitching could be used to relay other forms of information nonverbally. Asymmetric Brain Their primary brain was asymmetrically divided with the lower-right hand side being a physical brain and the upper left hand side being a ‘wisdom’ brain. The physical brain was more tied to the senses and reflexes, responsible for their biological needs and regulating the Hyperstamina and other organs. Since their bodies were more complex with the addition of extra limbs this brain focused solely on controlling the body. Having a smaller brain and stronger neurons gave them greatly increased reaction times with regards to other species. The wisdom brain was responsible for emotions and higher order thinking and was the seat of their true consciousness, memory and knowledge. This side of the brain was less affected by hormones and emotions and thus led the Go’shii to being noted as rather mindful and have very level demeanor in even emotionally stressful situations. They still possessed a full range of emotions though tended to feel and express them to far more moderate degree than other races. Pliable Bones The Go’shii possessed bones structured differently; as they were pliable and made of a more flexible material than other species’ making them considerably lighter, while their flexibility made them just as resistant to breaking as human bones. As their bones were more flexible they had a moderate degree more flexibility than other species. Quadridexterety Every Go’shii possessed four arms, with their upper set of arms referred to in their native tongue as the Nurmen and the lower set of arms referred to as the Lurmen. Originally in their jungles and savannahs, the arms were very useful for climbing trees, or hanging while their arms perform other actions. This allowed them to do things such as hang from trees while they fired a bow or perform complex tasks more quickly than members of other species. Go’shii were ambidextrous, very rarely having a dominant arm. Each arm was equally proficient and able to perform a task such as writing or playing a musical instrument. Claws The claws were the toughest part of the body. Their non retractable claws were self-sharpening and able to scratch all but the hardest materials. They were used for climbing and fighting. Hyperstamnia The hyperstamnia was a very large organ which took up about ⅓ to ½ of the abdominal cavity and was a method of storing energy for quick release and use. During times of rest the Hyperstamnia would fill with nutrient and athmo rich ‘black blood cells’ which could be quickly released for bursts of energy. It took around 2-3 days for the Hyperstamnia to fill up completely and it could be triggered consciously (with a small amount of practice). Doubling or tripling speed, strength and agility. When full it could allow for about 5 minutes of hyperactivity. The Go’shii was not even required to breathe during its activation (through breathing heavily and hyperventilating could somewhat extend the time it was active.) It would also trigger unconsciously in extreme situations. Because of the organ’s huge size the other digestive organs, kidneys and liver were somewhat smaller and asymmetrically placed on the right hand side of the body.. Though efficient for their size they were less capable and resilient than other species and and thus required more carefully timed and planned meals, hence their preference for nutrient rich food sources. Back Toe The Go’shii possess a unique ‘back toe’ in that the ‘thumb’ of their foot is affixed to the back of the heel. Normally it is folded up but can extend out, making the foot able to clasp onto things with ease. This back toe actually had extremely powerful muscles which could engage for long periods of time, allowing them to hang upside down with relative ease. Food Sources The Go’shii were obliged to mostly consume nuts, insects and meat. With their capacity to climb they could reach nuts and nutrient rich fruits on high trees as well as catch animals with their fast reflexes. Cultural Beliefs and Customs Belief in Mazungaten The Go’shii culture is centralized around their belief in Mazungaten. “He Who Steps Time From One Moment To The Next”. A cosmic consciousness imbued with the fabric of the universe which controls the probability of quantum events occurring. In their religion it is believed that a soul or anima is an infinitesimal fragment of this being, able to manipulate the quantum probabilities within the neurons in their brain giving them the ability to have free will and an independent spirit. The religion taught the following tenants or spiritual beliefs. -All is temporary on the cosmic time stream save for Mazungaten himself who is eternal. People, Planets, stars and Ideas all are born, live and die. This tenant is meant to instill a sense of peace over death, the loss of property, the advancement of technology and moving past bad times to seek better times, and the acceptance of death. -There is never a 100% guarantee of anything. Anyone who places their belief in something being 100% certain is objectively wrong, as there is always a possibility, no matter how minute that something may not play out as intended. -All sentient beings are born of the same entity. A fragment of Mazungaten’s holy spirit resides within every sentient being. It is this belief that leads the Go’shii to be more peaceful than most other races. Although being carnivores they recognize that sometimes killing out of necessity or self defense is necessary and they will fight to defend themselves they are the least likely to incite violence and most likely to seek a diplomatic solution to a problem of any race. This belief is also where their phrase “We are all children of the same stars” as a less religiously biased and universally recognized phrase came into being. Bowing The Dominion custom of bowing in formal settings on greeting or departing originated from the Go’shii. Posture The Go’shii would typically walk with their arms folded behind their back. This mannerism was adopted by other races in formal and military, trade and diplimatory circles. It was meant to show that one was restrained and had good self control. Physical Contact Go’shii would allow physical contact in social situations but it was considered extremely rude to make unwelcome physical contact or attempt to feel their fur, especially as members of another species. Other species could make contact if they asked first, though it was still considered rude to ask to pet one simply to feel the softness of their fur. Some Go’shii preformed “Anima mati giansu tometusi” or “Touch that Stimulates the Animus gates” This was a form of acupressure massage meant to help relax and provide pleasure to people. It was built around the concept of animus gates; which were points on the body where the physical body and the soul were connected, filling a role in their beliefs similar to chakras. It was believed that by providing pressure and massage to these points on the body that they could help to heal or improve the health of the body. Relationships The Go’shii had much more relaxed views on relationships than other races. Within their own race it was considered acceptable to ‘Cheat’ or to have multiple partners so long as one remained loyal to their spouse or primary partner. So long as it was clear who their primary partner was. In fact, in their eyes if one member of the relationship was cheating it was seen to a reasonable degree that the other member was not doing their part in the relationship and should improve; lets a formal breakup or new primary partner be selected. They were also open to this concept extending to homosexual relationships, often with every Go’shii having both a male and female ‘spouse’. Although their homosexual spouse would usually be valued less than their hetrosexual partner they could still have relations with them. This belief stemmed primarily from the fact that they viewed simple friendships and romantic relationships was somewhat blurred, and in instances of a sufficiently close friendship the paradigm of being highly opposed to physical contact would be inverted drastically with hand holding, hugging or other public displays of affection very common amongst those who were just friends. These displays, and sometimes sexual encounters were not seen as sex for the purpose of reproduction but rather as a way to show trust and companionship. This would also lead a number of Go’shii, both male and female, to be very open to interspecies relationships. Most of those that did earnestly believed in spreading love and harmony to the galaxy, seeking out partners that they desired; or that desired them. Some members of other races saw Go’shii to have an exotic allure to them which made them extremely attractive, and establishing a proper relationship with one was seen as a great accomplishment, although others looked down on this as degenerate or blasphemous; with very few neutral parties. To the Go’shii this played a larger political role. If their kind and another species, however alien were having such encounters it was a sign that harmonious coexistence was occuring between the two races. Clothing (Or Lack Thereof) Go’shii typically wore minimal or no clothing. Due to their fur providing adequate protection and comfort at a wide variety of environments. This was commonly an aspect of their culture, and it would be perfectly acceptable to attend formal events in what other races would consider undergarments (or even nude). Though more commonly, to abide by the requests of other races, they would wear minimal clothing (such as what is pictured above.) when in public circles (such as how they are pictured) to be respectful of other species’ desires. Go’shii viewed their bodies as sacred and as such nothing to be ashamed of or covered. Go’shii rarely got augmentations or life extension done to them due to this same spiritual belief believing that augmenting their bodies with advanced technology went against Mazungaten’s will. Go’shii would sometimes skin and mummify their deceased relatives’ fur coats, and use them to make manners of clothing or display them around the home. Many other species were highly repulsed by this tradition, however with their abilities of foresight and views on time, it was their ability to view time somewhat less linearly than other species that caused them to have a less taboo view on death and their own mortality. In fact, by wearing the fur. Similarly, unwelcome touching of one of these preserved pelts or clothing items was seen as a blasphemous offense. Other Beliefs There are other spiritual belief not directly tied to Mazungaten, however instated on the belief that themselves, being an aspect and living part of his holy spirit should abide by. -To be accepting of others, to recognize that their beliefs may differ from your own. Their gods may also exist within our universe and hold just as much important to them as Mazungaten is to you. -To avoid the extremes of overconfidence and self pity. -To recognize that one’s body is a sacred creation of the timestream not to be tampered with or manipulated in irreversible ways. -To avoid dishonesty, not only to others but one’s self. Having a strong sense of honesty and integrity self awareness was necessary to development. Those who are dishonest, corrupt or self-serving always receive their comeuppance. -The rule of three apologies. This rule commonly stated that Go’shii would operate friendships and relationships on the rule of three strikes. If another willingly and knowingly performs three actions worthy of ending such a friendship then the friendship should be broken and never forgiven. -To practice thankfulness in everyday life, to recognize that at any moment wealth, friends or loved ones could be taken away. -To be accepting and understanding of others regardless of race, sex, appearance, orientation, age or spiritual beliefs. Beings should be treated based upon their integrity and maturity and not necessarily individual beliefs. -To accept that one will one day die. Meditation Meditation was commonly practiced amongst Go’shii. This was typically done at least a few minutes daily for all members of the species but some would do it far more. The Go’shii practiced one of several meditation forms. Ho’yani Jun Ho’yani Jun was the most basic meditation form, which was a foundation of the more complex meditation forms. It involved basic breathing exercises and clearing one's mind. It was often taught to children who would then learn the more advanced meditation forms on their own, choosing which ones suited their needs and personality. However Ho’yani Jun was typically done by even advanced practitioners of meditation who would do it before moving into a more advanced form. Ho’yani Mazus Ho’yani Mazus was known as farsight meditation. In this a Go’shii would attempt communicate with their tempus lobes and uncover visions of the future. In this form they would sit seated with their head tilted back and their third eye open. If done properly, this would induce dreamlike visions from the tempus lobes which would visually project possible futures. Ho’yani Kanami Healing meditation. This form was typically done laying down. In this meditation form the practitioner would focus “healing energy” onto an injured part of the body, or focus around purging the body of a disease. Ho’yani Rhabakun Combat meditation. This form of meditation was done to reduce fear, and induce a strong sense of discipline, clear headedness in combat, allowing warriors to mostly ignore their body’s pain response. There were two states, one in where the actual meditation takes place and one focuses and prepares their mind for combat, and the state of mind that is induced afterwords. This form of meditation could also make warriors resistant to hypnosis, mind control or psionic based foes. Role In Dominion Society The Go’shii actually made up a fairly small minority of the Dominion but had a very large influence on its culture with a the largest amount of influence in the government and military circles. Though many lacked an authoritative edge, their wise and measured nature and possession of the foresight ability made members of all species look up to them for leadership. This leadership was often earned as with their highly spiritual background made them very morally refined leaders with a strong sense of justice and honesty. Though there was a small but vocal minority which had concerns about the overrepresentation of Go’shii as the ‘face of the Dominion’ despite being the smallest population, and they were at times justified as corrupt or immoral Go’shii, while uncommon, did exist within the civilian and military government. Many Go’shii, however viewed this as a burden of responsibility rather than an opportunity to grab power. Category:Aliens